Ask HN: Supplements for Memory That Work?
Is anyone aware of supplements for memory that actually work? I've tried Bacopa, and a whole host of other things. Nothing actually works. Is there some secret supplement or research chemical out there that isn't really talked about openly? I know it sounds condescending but it's not meant that way: optimizing your diet, sleep, and exercise will have orders of magnitude more benefit than any supplement. Of course, orders of magnitude more effort than just popping a pill, too. That's the blessing and curse of having a body. It enables you to do all the beautiful and crazy things that come with being a human, but it requires consistent daily maintenance - at least an hour of exercise, 8 hours of sleep, and whatever time it takes you to source, prep, and eat healthy food. Supplements can supplement but not replace this. My money is on boring supplements being the only ones worth taking. Magnesium (not magnesium oxide, most other forms are good), omega 3 with a good ratio of DHA to EPA, and creatine for enhanced energy (but probably no direct memory effects). Maybe B vitamins. Get blood work done, see if you're deficient in anything and supplement or adjust diet as needed. Beyond these basics, everything else is basically snake oil or has such tiny effects you won't notice anything. And no supplements can do anything to make up for deficiencies in diet, sleep, and exercise, and this becomes more and more true the older you get. In addition to what @esperent said, I would add to make sure you are not smoking cannabis or over caffeinating. You have to stop caffeine for two weeks and cannabis for 30 days BEFORE your brain normalizes. As for “product”, try the Klamath algae, the expensive kind (E3Live) that comes as frozen liquid (not powder in a capsule). Nothing will be a magic memory pill, anything that does help will likely take weeks of normalizing before you will notice, and it won’t be a lightning fix, it will be gradually perceptible that your memory is not impaired, rather than enhanced. After cutting caffeine and cannabis (etc) try those memory technique books (o'reilly has a few), these will get you exercising your memory (whole brain really), and teaching you a few useful tricks. Interesting - always thought coffee would be good for memory? Only at the onset. It’s like a pendulum you’re skipjacking. Any stimulant would be. After three months comes three years and then you’re long since not normal without. And then comes the high anxiety stress situation. Longer days into nights. The neurological chemistry will suffer. Even the most successful modern idiots forget their bodies are biological machines. Fear not. If you devote your life to “over come”, you may yourself become an ultimate human technology. Rip yourself from the cycle when you “know” it is time. Define yourself as a failure if you cannot stop. Be clean for thirty whole days and you will be more perceptive for the next three months of the “boost” your caffeine will give you. Take a 30 day break after over three years. And do it all over again. After the third or so time, however your riff (do take care of your biological machine) will induce a fuller and fuller mind. It's called cardio & it's free. I do cardio for the majority of the day. Then you have nothing to worry about. > Is there some secret supplement or research chemical out there that isn't really talked about openly? Yes